STAT News (June 29): Eight New FDA PCAC Panelists Named Monday Carry Peptide Industry Ties: Tennessee State Senator and Pharmacist Bobby Harshbarger (Son of Rep. Diana Harshbarger Who Urged Kennedy to Convene the Panel), Dr. Gabriel Alizaidy ($500 Peptide Consultations), at Least Seven of Eight with Peptide-Business Connections
STAT News reporter Lizzy Lawrence broke a scoop late Monday June 29, 2026 disclosing that the FDA on Monday published the names of eight new panelists who will serve on the July 23-24 Pharmacy Compounding Advisory Committee reviewing seven peptides for 503A bulks list eligibility. The majority of new members are involved with businesses that promote and prescribe peptides, meaning they will be weighing rules changes that could materially benefit them. Specific named members include Bobby Harshbarger, a pharmacist and Tennessee state senator whose mother Rep. Diana Harshbarger (R-TN) is also a pharmacist and has formally urged Kennedy to convene the panel; and Dr. Gabriel Alizaidy, who charges $500 for 'peptide and hormone' consultations that include advice on 'where to safely get each peptide or compound.' UC Davis cell-biology professor Paul Knoepfler told STAT: 'It's concerning that several members of the newly formulated [committee] appear to sell unproven offerings including stem cells and peptides, sometimes both.' FDA rules permit experts with financial stakes to serve on advisory panels as long as the relationship is disclosed and the agency explains why the expertise outweighs the potential conflict. Parallel coverage ran in CNN, PBS NewsHour, Washington Times, and CP24.